The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-05-14
UP THE OUACHIrA.
Natchez's New Commercial Field Gone
Ovcr--Thc Towns Alon: the River
Bank--A Grand Country
Notes of Interest.
fNatcliez Dentoctat.1

fNatciiez Democrat
A trip up the Ouachita river at this
season Of the year is a delightful one,
and the traveller is amply repaid for
his trouble by the beautiful scenery
that unfolds itself before his gaze on
the journey. A representative OF the
Democrat experienced ;he pleasure Of
such trip this week, and while feast
ing his eyes ON the lovely scenery of
! the Ouachita Valley and enjoying the
good company in which he was thrown
! at the Same time kept his eyes open to
the advantages Of the region as one
with which Natchez should cultivate
business relations. Personal observa.
tons fully confirm what we have al
ready said OF tho resources of Gaia
houia, Caldwell and Ouachi,a parishes,
and their business is one that NatcheZ
can secure if it will make the effort.
The people over there, many Of whom
have dealt in New Orleans and Mon
roe for a long time, are not nverse TO
forming business connections with this
city, If NatcheZ will offer them any
inducements in the way OF cheap prices
and see that low freight rates prevail
by rail and river to that section. The
rates of transportation by the Ouachita
line from New Orleans to Monroe havo
been excessive, aud Il competing line
would now no doubt be encouraged.
Such, at least, was whatw we were given
to understand by many persons along
the banks of the river. Capt. Dick
Rawlings, of the gallant little steamer
Prince, has given them an indepen-
dent boat from TrinltyoTroyviIIe TO
Monroe, and 1t now remains to be seen
what encouragement they will give
him.
AT the invitation Of Capt. Rawlings
we boarded the Prince at Trinity on
Saturday evening for Monroe. Since
abe retired from the Natchez and
Bayou Sara trade she has been thor
oughly overhauied and repaired, and is
now the most beautiful craft on any
stream in the interior Of Louisiana, as
well AS the fastest, and runs like race
horse. She is commanded by Capt.
Isich'd q. Rawlings, known to every
man, woman aud child on the Ouach-
ito, and familiarity addressed by ali as
"Dick;" her fist clerk is Mr.. Rufiin
b. Walker, very pleasant gentleman,
and the "mud clerk" Is Charley Paffen-
bach, who is rapidly developing into "A
first-ciass steamboatman, ami hopes at
some day 10 have captain prefixed to
his name. Her pilot is Frank Otten~
dofer, who has been "star gazing on
the Ouachita ever since "befo' de
wah." We felt perfectly safe In the
hands OF these gentlemen, and for CON-
pany had those genial good fellows.
Messrs. Hugh Watson, OF the Herald,
and John McCabe, of Trinity, Joe
Roos and Albert Nelson, commercial
evangeIists from NatcheZ.
At about ESQ the lines were cast
loose, and the ascent of the Ouachita
was begun. This river Is very
pretty one, its banks on both sides be ,
Ing friuged with willows. cypress and
other trees, while behind the walls OF
green glimpses can be had OF the large
and fertile cotton plantations that an
nuatty pour their thousands of bales
into tho New Orleans market, but
much of which will no doubt be here
after brought to NatcheZ, If the eflor;
Is made to secure 1t, The stream,
| however, is one OF the most tortuous
on the globe, with sharp points jutting
out every mile or two, and requiring
the most careful and skilful plotting to
keep II steamer in the river.
| The first point of importance touched
after leaving Trinity was HARRISON
burg, the capital of Catalonia parish.
1t Is II nice. peaceful little place nest
ling at the base of the Catahoula hills,
bluffs AS high and rs steep as those OF
Fort Beau:egaru, Confederate furiifi-
cation during the "late unpleasantness."
Harrisonburg does not appear to be
improving very rapidly, but she has
some energetic citizens who do 4 large
business, and are solvent financially.
Columbia, the seat of Caldwell parish
comes next. IL il II handsome country
town Of some six or eight hundred
souls, regularly laid of streets and
squares, and the houses all looking
fresh and bright in their new coast OF
paint. Columbia does about the same
amount of business as her sister Har>
risonhurg, and is enjoying II reasonable
degree of prosperity.
The queen city of the Ounchita
however, is Monroe. This city is bull,
upOu both sides of the OuoChitn and is